Playing at the World: revised 2nd Edition in 2024

[archersix]

So I'm late to the party, but I finally got a copy of Playing at the World. I'm about 70 pages in so far, and it's a really good read. I'm loving how in depth Jon goes with everything. It's kind of like reading a text book, but in a subject you are very interested in.

[Finarvyn]

Very much agreed on this. I think that Jon put an incredible amount of work into the thing, it's full of footnotes, and has all sorts of great information inside. I wish I had access to all of the original docs that he got to see, but I'm glad that he was able to tell us about them.

[grodog]

Jon's working on a new edition for PatW, which will include much of the additional research compiled at his blog, as well as new discoveries. I'm definitely looking forward to it!

Allan.

[Finarvyn]

Kind of a bummer to have to buy a new copy, but in this case it will probably be worth it!

[archersix]

Huh! I got the dead tree version, but I'll be interested to see what's in the new edition.

[mrmanowar]

I have the book and will gladly get an updated one with the new info. I enjoy seeing what's unearthed and having a more complete picture of what was available and what was happening documented thoroughly. I can't recommend PatW highly enough and enthusiastically state that PatW is one book all people dedicated to learning about the origins/history of our games and hobby must have. It is an indispensable resource. Well done Jon, looking forward to seeing you at Gary Con!

[increment]

Um. I wouldn't hold my breath for a new edition of PatW. Inevitably, it is starting to show its age, given all that has come to light in the past five years. But some other projects of mine will surely come out before that. The only one that I'd speak to as an imminent release is the work I've been doing with Wizards and Ten Speed (a Random House label) on a "visual history" of D&D, spanning from the earliest days to the present. That's a project I've been pursing over the past couple years with Mike Witwer (of Empire of Imagination) and a few others. At the risk of plugging it, there is already an Amazon order page for it:

www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Definitive-Visual-History/dp/0399580948

[mrmanowar]

Excellent! Preorder placed! Keep up the great work!

[captainjapan]

Playing at the World 2nd edition vol. 1 has a release date. Paperback pre-orders begin on April 30th through M.I.T. Press. ( or, right now, through Amazon)

mitpressbookstore.mit.edu/book/9780262548779

There is now also a title for volume 2:

"The second volume is The Three Pillars of Role-Playing Games, a deeper dive into the history of the setting, system, and character of D & D."

Interesting. What are the three pillars, I wonder?

[geoffrey]

Feb 28, 2024 8:42:13 GMT -6 captainjapan said:

Playing at the World 2nd edition vol. 1 has a release date. Paperback pre-orders begin on April 30th through M.I.T. Press. ( or, right now, through Amazon)

mitpressbookstore.mit.edu/book/9780262548779

There is now also a title for volume 2:

"The second volume is The Three Pillars of Role-Playing Games, a deeper dive into the history of the setting, system, and character of D & D."

Interesting. What are the three pillars, I wonder?

Maybe the three pillars are:
1. setting
2. system
3. character

But probably not!

[captainjapan]

Feb 28, 2024 12:25:07 GMT -6 geoffrey said:

Feb 28, 2024 8:42:13 GMT -6 captainjapan said:

Playing at the World 2nd edition vol. 1 has a release date. Paperback pre-orders begin on April 30th through M.I.T. Press. ( or, right now, through Amazon)

mitpressbookstore.mit.edu/book/9780262548779

There is now also a title for volume 2:


Interesting. What are the three pillars, I wonder?

Maybe the three pillars are:
1. setting
2. system
3. character

But probably not!

Hahahahahaha! omg, I am dense

[Zenopus]

Chapters 2-4 of the first edition of PatW are:

2: Setting - The Medieval Fantasy Genre
3: System - The Rules of the Game
4: Character - Roles and Immersion

[captainjapan]

The book has a cover. By Erol Otus!

[Zenopus]

Mar 10, 2024 21:00:35 GMT -6 captainjapan said:

The book has a cover. By Erol Otus!

Ooh, that is fantastic, perhaps my favorite Otus of the modern era. I've missed his black and white line work.

Thanks for keeping us updated on this captainjapan

[derv]

Reading the blurb on mit’s page makes me curious if all the revisions of the original text will be in volume 1 of the new edition.

Or, is this a major rewrite? It doesn’t sound like it is.

[Zenopus]

FWIW, on Twitter last fall, increment said it would be a "pretty pervasive update" & he planned to do a preview closer to the publication date.

[derv]

“Pervasive” is an interesting choice of words. I guess it’s an extensive change through out.

[DungeonDevil]

Schweet cover art!

[jamiltron]

Easy pre-order for me. I had always been interested in games history, but this book was one of the first to really set my brain on fire.

[DungeonDevil]

Any word about when vol. 2 will be released? I wonder if they will eventually offer a 2-volume set at a reduced price as an incentive. (I happen to fancy slipcased sets. *drool* )

[asaki]

Oh that cover is awesome.